Improvement in rubber boots



CHARLES E-QLINS.

\/ENT1| ATED GUM BOO-V.

`1 8 1 38 PAENmEn AUG 15 1871 FIGLB.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. LINS, OF ASHLAND, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUBBER BooTs.

To all whom it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, CH ARLES E.L1Ns, of Ashland, in the county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, h ave invented anew an d Improved Ventilated Gum Boot, of which the following is a specification:

My improvelnent consists in making an Indiarubber boot with tubes or air-passages opening externally at or near the top ofthe leg and communicating with smaller air-passages formed by corrugations in the lining and, by elongated openings made in the insole of the boot. The tubes may be located at front and rear of the leg, on its sides, or in other convenient position, so that by the motion ofthe foot in walkin g air will be alternately drawn in yand expelled, and, circulating through the corrugat-ions ofthe lining and openings of the insole, will tend to prevent the discomfort and inconvenience occasioned by wearing rubber coverings for the feet when the same have no outlet for the escape of moisture, &c.

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the boot. Fig. 2 is a top view of the sole, the insole and lining being partly removed so as to show the ramiiications of the lower air-passages.

A A are tubes or passages, opening exteriorly at or near the top of the leg of the boot, and intcriorly at points a a near the toe and heel, respectively; or said passages may be located at the sides, communicating with the interior of the boot near the toe and heel, as in the former construction. B, Fig. 2, represents the insole, and C the sub-lining, each having longitudinal apertures b b b I;3 cut or otherwise made therein, so as to constitute a series of ventilating-passages ruiming from toe to heel and communicating at each end with the vertical air-passages A A. Two additional insoles and sub-linings, D D', are placed toward the rear of the boot; these give a greater elevation to the heel, and are each provided with transverse Ventilating-passages el cl, which communicate at their ends with the vacant spaces at the sides and thence with the vertical air-tube A/ at the heel. They also communicate indirectly, through the interspaces at the sides, with the longitudinal passages of the insole and sub-lining and the verticalv eXteriorly-opcning passage A at front. The upper lining of the boot is made with corrugations running in a general- 1y longitudinal direction throughout the whole length of the foot and leg, both at front and rear, and near the top of the leg behind is a second interior lining, E, provided with vertical strips or corrugations e. This is capable of removal, and may be dispensed with, if so desired by the wearer. The tubes A A at front and rear may be molded with the boot, which mode of construction I prefer, though it is obvious that they may also be made on the outside of and attached to the boot, communicating with the interior thereof by apertures pierced through its surface. It is further apparent that the construction and arrangement of the ditt'erent communicating airvpassages may be varied without substantially affecting the principle of my invention, and also that a variety of materials may be employed in the construction of the different parts of the boot.

The act of lifting the foot in walking tends to cause the air to enter the exterior opening of the tube A which leads to the' toe of the boot and passes down the same to lill the partial vacuum thus occasioned at front. On planting the toe-s on the ground in putting down the foot the air thus drawn in is forced backward by the pressnre, part passing along the openings b b b b3of the insole and sub-lining', thence upwardly through the tube A at rear, and part passing -along the interspaces at the sides, and through the transverse passages d d of the duplicate sub-linings D D at the rear, and making its escape through the passage A and spaces Ve e of the interior lining E, at the top of the bootleg. Another part of the in-drawn air is at the same time drawn up into the corrugations on the under surface of the upper lining of the foot and escapes at the top of the leg.

It will seen that this arrangement constitutes a complete system of ventilation for the interior of the boot, every portion of the foot bein g reached by the fresh air from without, which, as it is gradually changed and carried oif, takes with it the vapor and moisture of the perspiration, both sensible and insensible, and prevents the foot from becoming damp and heated.

I claimu The arrangement, in a rubber boot, of vertical air-tubes A A at front and rear having their external openings at or near the topV of the leg', duplicate insoles B and sub-lining C provided with longitudinal and transverse air-passages b b D D', and a lining having longitudinal and vertical corrugations, as and for the purpose speciied.

Witnesses: I CHARLES E. LINS.

I. H. YooUM, M. M. MocK. 

